Islamist militants in Somalia kill 32, including six MPs

Militant Islamist group al-Shabab has taken responsibility for an attack on the Muna hotel in Mogadishu, Somalia that killed 32 people, including six MPs. Dressed as government soldiers, militants shot the hotel’s guard and rampaged through the building for about an hour, killing guests. A suicide bomber then blew himself up. al-Shabab aims to overthrow the African-Union-backed transitional government so it can impose Islamic rule. The weak transitional government controls only small areas of the capital, partially protected by 6,000 African Union troops. Al-Shabab was responsible for the World Cup bombings in neighbouring Uganda that killed 74 on July 12. Somali has experienced intense fighting for power since the government collapsed in 1991.

BBC News